Costa Rica embraces Pura Vida, a motto for enjoying life, as embraced by its joyous people and majestic natural beauty. From cloud forests to volcanoes to rainforests, there is no shortage of ecosystems and biodiversity.

Must Sees: Tortuguero | Must Sees: San José | Wildlife | Food 

MUST SEES: TORTUGUERO

Tortuguero

To reach Tortuguero, you take a bus past banana plantations, green mountains and cloud forests. At the river, there are no roads and it’s either a boat or propeller plane the rest of the way.

Green Sea Turtles

Most of the green sea turtles in the Caribbean are from a few beaches in Tortuguero. July to September is the best time to visit. At night, watch the mother turtle lay 100 eggs, cover the nest with sand, and return to the sea.

Canal Tour

The boat takes you on a tour of the canal and the edge of the rainforest. The expert guide points out many different species. Most of the them are hiding or well camouflaged. The cormorants and iguanas are easy to see. The lizards blend in much better with the leaves.

Rainforest Hike

See the diverse wildlife in their natural rainforest habitat. Along the 1.75 muddy path, the guide will help you identify the howler monkeys, butterflies, bats, and tree cutter ants. If you’re lucky, you may spot a tree frog or a sloth!

Zipline

Tortuguero’s zip-line park is accessible by a boat ride across the canal. The tour makes its way through the canopy via the following framework: 11 platforms, 4 suspension bridges, and 7 cables.

Pachira Lodge

Stay at Pachira Lodge in Tortuguero. It is perfectly located next to Tortuguero National Park and the Caribbean Sea. You can explore the rainforest, observe wildlife, and watch sea turtle nesting.

MUST SEES: SAN JOSÉ

Poás Volcano

Smoke fumes waft from the acidic blue center of Volcán Poás. The sulfuric water has a shocking robin’s egg blue color. The rising smoke and steam seem to mix with the mist from the cloud forest.

Confluence

In Braulio Carrillo National Park, the confluence is where the clear Río Sarapiquí meets the orange Río Sucio. From Volcán Irazú, sulfur deposits give the Sucio a vivid color on its journey to the meeting of the rivers.

WILDLIFE

Can you spot the wildlife living in the rainforest? Here are just a few.

Jesus Christ Lizards

Aka Jesus Christ lizards, they can run on water.

Bats

There are 110 bat species in Costa Rica.

Howler Monkeys

Howlers provide the soundtrack for the forest.

Butterlies

Costa Rica has 1,200 different butterfly species.

FOOD

Gallo Pinto

Rice and beans are either a side with meat or included with an egg for breakfast. It is seasoned with onions, bell peppers, and cilantro. The name spotted rooster refers to the beans that stand out in the rice.

Casado

A casado is typical lunch fare. This is a combo plate that marries a number of foods: meat, rice and beans, vegetables, and fried plantains.